USA, Australia advance to last 16 at Women’s World Cup

VANCOUVER, Canada: Olympic champions the United States and Australia both advanced to the last 16 at the Women’s World Cup by taking the top two spots from Group D on Tuesday.
The United States, winners in 1991 and 1999, beat 10-woman Nigeria 1-0 in Vancouver, while a 1-1 draw was enough to see Australia through against Sweden in Edmonton.
Captain Abby Wambach scored her 183rd international goal for the ‘Stars and Stripes’ to ensure the 2011 runners-up finish top of Group D in front of a capacity crowd of nearly 53,000 at BC Place Stadium.
Wambach’s 14th World Cup goal came just before half time off a Megan Rapinoe corner and leaves her just one shy of Brazil star Marta’s record 15, achieved earlier in the tournament.
Nigeria were playing without defender Ugo Njoku who was suspended for three games for elbowing Australian midfielder Sam Kerr in the face during their group clash last week.
And the African champions were a player down for the last 20 minutes after defender Sarah Nnodim was given her marching orders after a second yellow card following a challenge on Rapinoe.
The result means the USA advance to the knockout round as Group D leaders with seven points, with Australia on four and Sweden three.
Nigeria are eliminated with just one point.
As first in Group D the USA next meet the best third-placed finisher from Groups B, E and F in Edmonton next Monday.
A draw was good enough to see Australia through for their third consecutive tournament, and they next play Brazil in Moncton on Sunday.
Captain Lisa De Vanna scored after five minutes for the Matildas but ten minutes later 2003 runners-up Sweden were on level terms thanks to Sofia Jakobsson’s equaliser at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.